News

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OCT

12

WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

The majority of deaths due to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are avoidable through the provision of timely and effective care to the women presenting with these complications. Optimizing health care to prevent and treat women with hypertensive disorders is a necessary step towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. WHO has developed the present evidence-informed recommendations with a view to promoting the best possible clinical practices for the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

Fewer newborns are dying worldwide, but progress is too slow and Africa particularly is being left further behind. These are the findings of a new study published in the medical journal PLoS Medicine today. The study covering 20 years and all 193 WHO Member States was led by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO), Save the Children and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The estimates are based on more data than ever and extensive consultations with countries. The study shows detailed trends over time and forecasts potential future progress.

AUG

18

The Business Case: Why and How Should Industry Engage in Maternal and Newborn Health?

Why does the role of industry matter in maternal and newborn health (MNH) and how can the private sector best engage in this field? This Business Case report provides resources and recommendations for how and why industry players can partner with MNH organizations—using a business-centric approach.

This 2011 updated edition now features a “Voices of Industry” section, where corporate leaders and their MNH partners share thoughtful ideas and approaches that industry can apply towards creating impactful change in MNH in the Asia Pacific and beyond.

Read this Business Case report, part of the NBR Center for Health and Aging’s Impact & Innovation Series, to learn about key ways the private sector can contribute to the field of MNH, including:

• How can industry contribute to implementing or promoting improvements in MNH outcomes in developing countries in a sustainable yet still business-minded way?

• How can businesses contribute to ensuring that innovations, products, and modern technologies for MNH, and health more broadly, reach those most in need?

• How can companies whose core business is not overtly focused on mothers and babies still engage and contribute to improving MNH—beyond simply writing a check?

In South Africa, a neonatal care initiative saves lives

It’s a sad fact that 83 per cent of children in Limpopo province live in poverty. So you’d assume that Malamulele District Hospital probably performs poorly – especially since most of South Africa’s infant mortality rates are linked to district hospitals.

But you would be mistaken. This hospital, despite its humble status, is a beacon of hope in the province. It has seen a 30 percent reduction in deaths since 2006 and its neonatal unit has reduced the number of exposed infants who test positive for HIV at six weeks of age. It was around 13 percent in 2007. By 2010, it had dropped to around six percent.